Flint Residents Were Paying The Highest Water Rates In America

A new study adds insult to the great injury to the people of Flint, Michigan

While the people of Flint were drinking lead-contaminated water, they were also paying the highest water rates in the country. The Detroit Free Press reported that the study from the watchdog group Food and Water Watch looked at the country's 500 largest water systems and found that Flint residents paid $864 a year, nearly twice the national average for water service. The figure is based on an annual household consumption of 60,000 gallons.

"It far exceeds what the United Nations designates as affordable for water and sewer service," said Mary Grant, one of the study's authors. The United Nations recommends that water and sewer service shouldn't exceed 3% of a household income. In Flint, the charges totaled about 7%."

The Free Press said a lawyer who's sued to reduce the rates said they were high in part because the city diverted water funding for other uses.